MetLife vs. National Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, National Mutual offers significantly less expensive rates than MetLife
• MetLife may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than National Mutual Insurance
• National Mutual tends to be a much cheaper option for drivers who have below-average credit

MetLife or National Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to MetLife or National Mutual as your top options, but between the two, which carrier has more affordable premiums for car insurance?

As you can see, National Mutual has average rates that are around 40% a month less expensive than those from MetLife when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

However, National Mutual may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, how clean your driving record is, and a ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of MetLife or National Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by a range of different rate factors.

MetLife vs. National Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

MetLife and National Mutual only compete against each other in two states, with National Mutual offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Indiana has the most noticable difference, where National Mutual rates are $85 more affordable than car insurance premiums at MetLife.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. It's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use National Mutual save almost 50% per month compared to those who use MetLife. It's worth noting that MetLife offers car insurance in 44 different states compared to National Mutual's three, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, both companies will reduce prices by the time drivers turn 25. National Mutual offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. MetLife's average premiums drop over 70% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the cheapest insurance rates you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for car insurance.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between MetLife and National Mutual? National Mutual gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older nearly 35% less expensive than the national average for MetLife.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly cheaper auto insurance prices than single policyholders. This usually boils down to married drivers having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something quite a few insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with National Mutual prices coming in at about half of MetLife's. The advantage for married couples with National Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save around $65 a month.

MetLife or National Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get tickets and get into collisions, which means they'll normally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

With MetLife, women usually pay about $30 per month less than men, and more than $20 with National Mutual.

When it comes to the most affordable rates for each gender, National Mutual comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices 40% less for men and 41% cheaper for women.

MetLife vs. National Mutual: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, National Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $94. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, National Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging around $308 a month to MetLife's $466.

Is MetLife or National Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Speeding tickets and at-fault collisions will most likely raise your premiums, but is MetLife or National Mutual more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use MetLife for their auto insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. National Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 8%.

But National Mutual is normally the cheaper option for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 40% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 49% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

MetLife drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by just under $150, while those who have insurance through National Mutual will see about a $75 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use National Mutual end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $207 compared to MetLife's $368.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even a collision. For example, MetLife increases average premiums by more than $250 per month -- that's more than a 55% increase.

National Mutual has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $325 per month, but it's worth noting that MetLife's average rates come from 44 states compared to just three for National Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact MetLife and National Mutual Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for a lot of policyholders.

The reasoning car insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will typically be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at National Mutual and MetLife, which one has the lowest prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, National Mutual will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, National Mutual comes in nearly 43.24 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 41% with National Mutual compared to average rates from MetLife.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

National Mutual typically offers lower premiums than MetLife when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 35% a month less with National Mutual compared to MetLife, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 44% a month.

Is MetLife or National Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly prices. Generally, the more milage you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much National Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for MetLife, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying about $3 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, National Mutual is the cheaper carrier.

MetLife or National Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Normally, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, National Mutual generally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $189 monthly with National Mutual and $299 with MetLife. People in suburban areas pay about $201 with National Mutual compared to MetLife's $333 a month. In urban areas, National Mutual's average premiums are around $214 while MetLife offers prices about $389.

MetLife vs. National Mutual Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem difficult to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by MetLife and National Mutual so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

MetLife knocks National Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 17 more discounts than National Mutual.

Both companies offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like EFT discounts, discounts for being a good student, and passive restraint discounts -- but MetLife also offers discounts for AAA, ABS, academic, and more.

On the other hand, National Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, claim free discounts, continuous insurance discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is MetLife or National Mutual Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance rates. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which carrier is the best company for you and your specific needs?

National Mutual might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your auto insurance after an accident.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles every year.

MetLife might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- National Mutual Insurance only offers policies in three states.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare MetLife and National Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just MetLife and National Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

MetLife vs. National Mutual FAQs

Is MetLife or National Mutual cheaper?

National Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $201 per month with National Mutual and $340 for MetLife. However, that doesn't mean National Mutual will be the cheapest company for each driver, since there are lots of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, MetLife or National Mutual?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do MetLife and National Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use several different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Factors like age, where you live, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both MetLife and National Mutual calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if MetLife or National Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't MetLife or National Mutual at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.